Are Fertilized Eggs People?

On Wednesday, the North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill saying that fertilized eggs have all of the rights of a human being. The bill defines any organism containing a single human cell as a human being.

In other words, abortion could be charged as murder.

The bill passed 51-41, and now goes to the state Senate. The measure's sponsor, Rep. Dan Ruby, said, "This is very simply defining when life begins, and giving that life some protections under our Constitution--the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

So if there's a fertilized egg that's been in a refrigerator for eighteen years and nine months, can it register to vote? When it turns 21, is it allowed to consume alcohol?

Roe v. Wade holds that a woman may abort her pregnancy up until the point at which the fetus is viable, viable being defined as the point at which the fetus is able to live outside the womb. Fertilized eggs can't breathe, eat, drink, or think. A fertilized egg is not a human being and should not be treated like one.

I am not pro-abortion; I am pro-choice. As Rep. Ruby correctly noted, human life is protected by the Constitution. Our law gives women to control over their bodies--the ability to choose when and whether they will have children, and to do so without worrying that, should they decide to terminate a pregnancy, they could be charged with murder.

What's next? A law re-defining contraception as attempted murder?

Comments

[TheIndependenceParty]

What about dermoid cysts, ... are they to be "saved" as well? Is it "murder" to remove them?

What do North Dakotans do now about "brain death" issues, which are arguably more about "Human Beings" than are fertilized eggs?

And what of unfertilized eggs, or sperm for that matter, ... Does the law distinguish them from an egg with a full complement of genes?

It seems clear that while the legislature in North Dakota is busy making laws to protect the rights of cells, they might well have been less respectful toward laws regarding the use of hallucinogenic substances. It is clear that "Somebody's been smokin' somethin' up there!"

[milo h minderbinder]

Why stop there?

Why not declare that UNfertilized eggs are people too? And swimmers as well?

This is just one step from going full-on biblical and making it "murder" to "spill the seed".

[WorkingClass]

ROCK ON ZYGOTES!

[InTheSouth]

Well I guess I had two unborn chickens for breakfast this morning. Can't call an egg an egg anymore, it is just an unborn whatever. So stupid and silly. All based on religious control crap anyway. Let's hear from the people who actually know what a cell and an egg are, like real biologists maybe?

[oafishcad]

I guess amputated limbs are people too. All those human cells.

[oafishcad]

Can 2 fertilized eggs marry?

[Yermammy]

Not yet, although in Alaska they can "date".

[PDXKevin]

It's only a matter of time before the wingnuts declare all eggs, fertilized or not, to be people. Then it's sperm. Get ready for nightly reproduction fluid collection.

[PlaceboStudman]

Question to the person sponsoring this bill? Does this include the constitutional right to life liberty and the pursuit of children, whose definition of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness includes profanity, alcohol use, drug use, and gun use??

In other words, where do you draw the line? If ANY life receives the full benefit of the constitution, then doesn't ALL life receive the same benefits, which include alcohol, drugs and guns?

[truestarr]

for sure the logic of this law would mean that a woman who has a fertilized egg inside of her becomes liable for any reckless behavior, like smoking or drinking or running or sledding or skiing etc. it could also mean that if she chose reckless behavior she could be forcibly restrained to allow for the fertilized egg to develop. interesting decision on exactly which "life" is more equal...

obviously men have no restrictions on them, including rapists, who only are "responsible" for fertilizing the eggs.

[Gidster]

Will this lead to criminal investigations for miscarriages? How about Menses?

This is a bad law brought about for all the wrong reasons. But then again reason has never held much sway for the anti choice wingnuts

[rosiebond007]

We are being forced to accept one man's religious beliefs.

I thought America was a democracy where people could have their own belief systems. I don't want to have to cow-tow to another religious zealot and won't - so there.

[Gidster]

You are free to exercise whatever religion or faith you want to as long as it's Christian.
America is a Christian Nation doncha know.

Let's ignore the obvious separation of church and state issue and just look at the stupidity of this idea.

A fertilized egg is not a human being, It may not be viable, it may not even begin mitosis and become a zygote! This a poorly veiled attempt to make an evangelical belief law. The sad part is the elected officials of N.D. went along with this.

According to their Bible life begins before birth, so there are a great many teenage boys that should be locked up for murder!!!!

[Blivet]

Also every post pubescent female as she sheds the monthly ovum.

[johnie2xs]

So, in other words, women are free with an asterisk*. Is that what this guy is saying?

Following this line of thinking, if a woman of child bearing age is found to be intoxicated while driving, besides breath and blood analysis, it may be to the authorities benefit to do a pregnancy test, so as to see if she could be held on child endangerment charges.

Religious zealotry will be the death of this country.

[rayanthony]

It's alwasy fun to watch those who fight so hard for womens rights ignore the rights of an unborn child.

[eljefejeff]

well I'm a man so this doesn't affect me since I have no responsibilities to a fertilized egg.

However, I have a sneaking suspicion most of these legislators are men, and as usual we get to tell women what to do. That's just the way it is, women. Accept it. If one of us rapes you, you carry our child. Deal with it. After all, the church tells us this is the way Jesus wants it. Next up, prepare for the public stoning.

[dmbraddy]

"Unborn child" is an oxymoron. This abuse of the English language is common among those who prefer religious or political dogma to logic and fact. An unborn offspring of any mammal, including humans, more that 8 weeks from conception is a fetus. The fetus becomes a child only after it is born. These are definitions, not opinions. The North Dakota bill goes even further, ascribing full constitutional rights to a fertilized egg that will not even qualify for the status of fetus for another 8 weeks. Many fertilized eggs fail to attach to the inner wall of the uterus and exit in a woman's menstrual flow. Others, due to genetic or developmental abnormalities do not survive to become a fetus, much less a live birth.

Granted, a fertilized egg has the potential to become a child, but it is no more a fully realized human being than the equivalent mass of its constituent elements - oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, etc. Should it be against the law to have a campfire, because it consumes elements that otherwise had the potential to become a human being? Of course not. The current standard set in Rove v. Wade, viability ex utero, is far more logical and reasonable.

[Gidster]

Rights?
Do you folks care about the child's rights after they are born?
No.
You rally and cry that your tax dollars should not pay for medicaid and welfare to help a bunch of freeloading women that have babies to up their welfare checks, while denying these same women information about contraception so there will be fewer abortions!

[boycottrightwingthings]

Oh don't worry, we will SUE and overturn this really idiotic ruling. It won't stand! Women have rights, and as long as a zygote is a part of her body, we have rights over it, like it or not. I am not at all worried, especially inthe greater political climate of our country, we will be victorious in our court selections, etc. etc.

[tbone99]

So will a woman who miscarries be charged with manslaughter?

[flamom4obama]

Involuntary manslaughter or depraved indifference?

[AmandaRuth]

pro-lifers should be called what they are, members of the forced birth society.

I am still interested in hearing just exactly how they are going to enforced the forced birth rule.

[rayanthony]

Forced birth? Where they there to "force conception"?

[Susan Bruther]

only in the cases of rapists and molesters

[Gidster]

Remember your "Abstinence only" programs do not actually educate anyone about pregnancy or disease prevention.

25% of teenage girls have STD's according to the CDC. Teen pregnancy is also up because of religious dogma pretending to be education.

So no, forced conception is only for rape and incest victims, but being ignorant of protective measures and consequences is all you folks.

[The Ghost]

Clumsy women who have a tumble and suffer a miscarriage will be charged with negligible manslaughter.

[BarryWolk]

"The bill defines any organism containing a single human cell as a human being."

How about Cancer and other malignant tumors?? They, too, are 'Human Cells', are they not??

We MUST get ALL incumbents out of our legislatures, both Federal & State!! This 'Democracy' thing isn't working so well. ALL INCUMBENTS MUST GO!!

[EEinhorn]

Getting rid of incumbents doesn't change the voters. Imcumbents were voted into office by the same people who will vote for their replacements, So all we get, if you get your wish, is stupid AND INEXPERIENCED legislators to replace the stupid, existing legislators.
How exactly is that better?!

[research]

if we can trust them, sure, otherwise.­..out, experience and all.

[Yermammy]

"When it's people, it's an abortion and when it's a chicken, it's an omelette!"- George Carlin.
Geebus, how about we call it a person when Harry met Sally? Hhmmm? Right when they first shake hands.